Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs at the Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine are at the center of attention in a feature article in the May issue of Insight into Diversity magazine, regarded as the nation’s oldest and largest diversity-focused publication and website in higher education. The article, entitled, “Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine Puts DEI Front and Center in Veterinary Education,” by writer Mariah Bohanon, is part of a magazine Special Report on Medical, Dental, and Veterinary Schools that focuses on institutions recently named by the magazine as Diversity Champions.
“Diversity Champions exemplify an unyielding commitment to diversity and inclusion throughout their campus communities, across academic programs, and at the highest administrative levels,” the magazine states. The honor is reserved for institutions that rank in the top tier of the magazine’s Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award recipients. Purdue Veterinary Medicine has received the HEED Award multiple times including this past year, when the college also was recognized as a 2021 Diversity Champion, marking the first time that Insight into Diversity has selected a veterinary college for that distinction.
In describing the college’s leadership in advancing DEI in the veterinary medical profession, the feature article notes how, in 2013, the veterinary medical field gained national attention for being ranked as the least diverse profession based on federal demographic data. “Nearly a decade later, the discipline no longer holds that distinction, but it remains almost 90 percent white,” the article states. The author then explains how increasing the representation of people from different backgrounds has been a guiding principle for Dean Willie Reed. “Since taking the helm in 2007, Reed has led the college in creating a diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) strategic plan, a diversity action committee, the Office of DEI, and more,” the article points out. “In that timeframe, enrollment of underrepresented students has risen from six percent to more than 20 percent due to a host of recruitment, retention, and support efforts. PVM has also introduced outreach programs and other DEI endeavors that serve communities and veterinary schools nationwide.”
Click here to view the May issue of the magazine. The feature story on PVM’s diversity, equity and inclusion accomplishments, which includes quotes from Dean Reed and Dr. Latonia Craig, assistant dean for inclusive excellence, begins on page 43.
One of the unique springtime opportunities for the Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine is a day set aside to showcase Purdue veterinary medical scholarship through special presentations, including talks by some of the college’s premier researchers. An example at this year’s PVM Research Day on April 12 involved an insightful look at the science behind the human-animal bond by the winner of the 2021 Zoetis Award for Veterinary Research Excellence, Dr. Maggie O’Haire, professor of human-animal interaction in the Department of Comparative Pathobiology.
On each PVM Research Day, the recipient of the previous years’ Zoetis Award is one of the featured speakers. During her talk, Dr. O’Haire highlighted the importance of research in the field of human-animal interaction, especially in relation to the use of service dogs. Focusing her comments primarily on service dogs as a therapy for veterans suffering with PTSD, Dr. O’Haire explained how research can lead to greater support for these programs.
Dr. O’Haire pointed out that approximately 20 percent of veterans are diagnosed with PTSD, of which only 50 percent seek treatment. Twenty to 40 percent of those in treatment drop out. Dr. O’Haire explained that her team’s research has provided evidence that service dogs can alleviate some PTSD symptoms. The data, collected via self-report surveys and stress hormone level testing, is limited but promising. Veterans reported fewer PTSD symptoms and improved mood, while the testing of samples showed healthier levels of stress hormones.
According to Dr. O’Haire, so far, the research already has helped lead to the signing of the federal Puppies Assisting Wounded Servicemembers (PAWS) for Veterans Therapy Act. The new law requires the Department of Veterans Affairs “… to conduct a five-year pilot program to provide canine training to eligible veterans diagnosed with PTSD, as an element of a complementary and integrative health program.” While that milestone is significant, Dr. O’Haire emphasized the importance of further research to establish additional documentation showing that service dog programs are worth the investment. Service dogs are already in high demand and she points out that increased public support and funding not only would help people who stand to benefit from service dogs, but also would help to maximize the effectiveness of these working dogs.
Dr. O’Haire also briefly discussed other examples of service dog programs, including those that involve providing facility dogs for pediatric oncology centers and service dogs for individuals with autism spectrum disorder. Pediatric oncology facility dogs have been shown to help hospital personnel reduce burnout, turnover, and improve mental health. Dr. O’Haire concluded her talk by explaining how these other service dog applications also require further research to satisfactorily document their efficacy and help heighten support for service dog programs of all kinds.
Purdue Veterinary Medicine alumnus and U.S. Army veteran George Luke, who was a member of the College of Veterinary Medicine’s fifth graduating class, passed away April 7. He was 80.
Dr. Luke, of Northbrook, Illinois, earned his Purdue DVM degree in 1967, and then served his country in the U.S. Army in Vietnam from 1968 to 1969. He went on to have a long career in private veterinary practice at the Becker Animal Hospital in Northfield, Illinois, before retiring.
Dr. Luke also was committed to his local church, the Village Presbyterian Church of Northbrook, where he was a member for almost 50 years and volunteered with his wife as a senior high leader. He also was active in his community in other ways, serving as a volunteer “House League” soccer coach over four decades. His other interests included vacationing at Clam Lake in Wisconsin, and taking ski and canoe trips. A memorial service was held Saturday, April 23 at the Village Presbyterian Church of Northbrook. Memorial donations may be made to YMCA Camp Eberhart. Arrangements were entrusted to Chicagoland Cremation Options of Schiller Park, Illinois. Click here to read the full obituary.
Katelyn Rehn is one of several senior Purdue DVM students who leaped at the opportunity to study abroad after a year when such opportunities were shut down by the pandemic. Katelyn grew up in New Palestine, Indiana, where she fell in love with everything that allowed her to interact with animals – especially horseback riding, which she had the opportunity to participate in throughout her childhood at a ranch in Colorado. Although Katelyn’s dreams are bright and clear today, she didn’t know she wanted to be a veterinarian until the latter part of high school; she grew up wanting to be a professional artist. “My lifelong love of animals and the realization that I really liked science and problem-solving led me to major in animal sciences at Purdue with the plan of going to vet school,” she said.
After an amazing learning experience pursuing her animal sciences degree, it was a no-brainer for Katelyn to continue her education at Purdue. She already had decided to attend her top in-state school, but the Purdue DVM program interview day sealed the deal as the College of Veterinary Medicine drew Katelyn in with its sense of community, the quality of the curriculum, and specifically the prevalent opportunities for studying abroad. When deciding where to pursue her international studies, Katelyn was drawn to the University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna (VetMedUni) in Austria by their Traineeship for Artificial Insemination and Embryo Transfer program. Although she does not plan to work with horses in her professional career, Katelyn holds a strong interest in equine reproduction, and this program provided the perfect opportunity to gain experience in this area. And in a twist of fate, this trip made up for a previously scheduled visit to Austria in 2020 that was cancelled due to the pandemic.
Upon returning home, Katelyn reflected on the highlights of her experiences across the globe. “I think the best part of my experience overall was seeing how veterinary medicine is practiced in another country, as well as the people and horses I was able to work with,” she says. One of her favorite patients was a Lipizzaner foal with tendon laxity that Katelyn and the team were able to dramatically improve during her stay. “She was born at the breeding stud of the famous Spanish Riding School in Vienna, where I was able to see the Lipizzaner stallions perform, so it was really cool to work with the mare and foal at the hospital,” Katelyn says. She also worked with a foal that was born via emergency c-section due to uterine torsion in her mare, named Seven Up. The foal became very sick and weak with aspiration pneumonia shortly after birth, so it was extremely rewarding for Katelyn and the team to observe her improve to the point of regaining health and running around the pasture like a normal foal. She was deemed fully recovered and able to return home on the last day of Katelyn’s stay.
Katelyn in Innsbruck, a mountain town in southern Austria famous for its architecture.
One of the most important lessons Katelyn learned from studying abroad is one we can all take to heart, no matter our age or occupation – to slow down. “In general, Austrians have a much more relaxed lifestyle than we do in the U.S., and that translates to their work, as well,” Katelyn says. She goes on to stress the importance of this lifestyle as it relates to working in veterinary medicine, acknowledging that a practitioner can miss a lot during a case if the focus is purely on efficiency and not on truly understanding the patient and what they need. “I know I would not have succeeded in vet school without intentionally making time to live normal life with my family and friends, even at the cost of giving up something school-related, like studying more for an exam,” Katelyn says. “I have never regretted taking the time to go to a dinner, wedding, or birthday celebration, but I have regretted missing important things because I felt like I had to study harder.”
Katelyn is excited to begin her career as a small animal general practitioner, with an interest in soft tissue surgery, emergency, and diagnostic imaging. “In the next few years, I hope to obtain an ultrasound certification and become involved in organized veterinary medicine, as I am passionate about advocating for veterinary students and the profession overall,” she said. Katelyn recommends studying abroad to everyone at PVM as a fun way to challenge yourself, push past your comfort zone, and learn valuable lessons that will remain relevant throughout your professional career and lifetime. Or, put another way, be a valuable small step toward the next giant leap.
Third-year DVM student Malaycia Goldsmith discusses her research poster entitled, “Increased Immune Responses by Intradermal and Intranasal Immunization with a Novel Adjuvant in Mice” with Dr. Aymundo Munguia, clinical assistant professor at the Indiana University School of Medicine – West Lafayette.
Faculty, graduate students, residents, and veterinary students all contributed to a special PVM Research Day that marked the 60th Anniversary of Purdue’s Omicron Chapter of the Society of Phi Zeta, which is the honor society of Veterinary Medicine. The chapter annually organizes the event that highlights scientific discovery in the College of Veterinary Medicine. The 2022 PVM Research Day also represented the first time the event had been held in person in two years, because the pandemic necessitated cancelling the event in 2020 and conducting it in an online format last year.
Keynote speaker Dr. Sumiko Mekaru, director of public health and clinical design at The Public Health Company (second from left), with Associate Dean for Research Harm HogenEsch, Dr. Malathi Raghavan, clinical associate professor and president of the Omicron Chapter of Phi Zeta, and Dean Willie Reed.
This year’s Research Day began in Lynn 1136 with remarks by Dean Willie Reed followed by an introduction of the keynote speaker by Dr. Malathi Raghavan, this year’s Phi Zeta president. Dr. Sumiko Mekaru, director of public health and clinical design at The Public Health Company and a veterinary epidemiologist working at the intersection of traditional epidemiology and information technology, spoke on the topic, “Data Science Needs Veterinarians! (They Just Don’t Know it Yet).”
Then new members were inducted into Phi Zeta, beginning with third-year DVM students in the top ten percent of their class and fourth-year veterinary students in the top 25 percent of their class. Faculty, graduate students, and residents also were inducted based on their nomination by their respective departments for their contributions to scholarship and research in veterinary medicine.
The remainder of the morning program involved a series of oral presentations given in parallel panel sessions focused on the themes of Big Data/Bioinformatics, Oncology, and Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (SIRS)/Sepsis. Following the panel sessions, attendees were able to visit the Research Poster Session in Lynn G119/155 that showcased poster presentations about research conducted by graduate students, residents, and DVM students, who stood by their posters to discuss them and answer questions.
Dr. Armanda Darbyshire received this year’s Boehringer Ingelheim Summer Research Mentorship Award.
The afternoon portion of the Research Day featured presentations by winners of research awards, including the Osborne Award Competition finalists, the recipient of the 2022 Phi Zeta Omicron Chapter Graduate Student Research Award, the 2022 PVM Graduate Student Research Award winner, and the Phi Zeta Manuscript Award winner in Clinical/Applied Research.
The presentations concluded with a talk by the recipient of the 2021 Zoetis Award for Veterinary Research Excellence, Dr. Maggie O’Haire, professor of human-animal interaction in the Department of Comparative Pathobiology, as well as a special presentation commemorating the 60th Anniversary of the Omicron Chapter of Phi Zeta, given by Dr. Deborah Knapp, Distinguished Professor of Comparative Oncology. Dr. Knapp addressed the topic, “Combining Clinical and Basic Science to Grow a Research Program in a Clinical Setting.”
The Research Day concluded with award presentations. The first award, sponsored by Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health, was presented by Associate Dean for Research Harm HogenEsch, who explained that this is a new award as of last year to recognize a faculty member who mentors students in the College of Veterinary Medicine’s Summer Research Program. This year’s Boehringer Ingelheim Summer Research Mentorship Award recipient is Dr. Amanda Darbyshire, who has a faculty appointment in the Department of Comparative Pathobiology and is one of two board certified laboratory animal veterinarians at Purdue. Dr. HogenEsch praised her not only for doing a great job mentoring Summer Research Program participants, but added that she also has given seminars as part of the program to introduce students to careers in laboratory animal medicine. “She is a very highly deserving awardee,” Dr. HogenEsch said as he presented her with the 2022 Summer Research Mentorship Award.
The following additional awards also were presented. Congratulations to all of the award recipients!
Phi Zeta Manuscript Award
Clinical/Applied Research: Dr. Nelly Elshafie, graduate student, Department of Comparative Pathobiology
Phi Zeta Omicron Award
Dr. Nelly Elshafie, graduate student in the Department of Comparative Pathobiology, received the Phi Zeta Manuscript Award for Clinical/Applied Research.
1st place: Shawna Cook, graduate student, Department of Basic Medical Sciences
2nd place: Taylor Bailey, graduate student, Department of Comparative Pathobiology
Osborne Award Finalists
1st place: Dr. Karena Tang, clinical pathology resident, Department of Comparative Pathobiology
2nd place: Dr. Levi Smith, ophthalmology resident, Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences
3rd place: Dr. Sara Ostenkamp, cardiology resident, Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences
Research Poster Awards
Basic Science
1st place: Dr. Jennifer Peterson, small animal surgery resident, Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences
2nd place: Shawna Cook, graduate student, Department of Basic Medical Sciences, and Juan Hernandez-Franco, graduate student in immunology, Department of Comparative Pathobiology
Dean Reed recognized a group of students during the Current Issues in Veterinary Medicine course on completing the Certificate for Diversity and Inclusion in Veterinary Medicine including (left-right): Devon Anderson, Sarah Giglio, Carlee Roberts, Brooke Toriani, and Morgan Watkins.
Students in the Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine received special recognition from Dean Willie Reed on Tuesday, April 5, during the Current Issues in Veterinary Medicine course, for completing the Certificate for Diversity and Inclusion in Veterinary Medicine. They are part of a larger group of DVM and Veterinary Nursing students who signed-up for the program and either already have completed it or will complete by the end of this semester. The college is recognizing all of the students for putting in the hard work required to fulfill the certificate requirements, which include learning modules, four activity assignments, a volunteer community service assignment, and capstone paper.
Founded by Purdue Veterinary Medicine, the American Veterinary Medical Association, and the American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges, the certificate program is offered online through the college’s Center of Excellence for Diversity and Inclusion in Veterinary Medicine. Open to faculty, staff, students, and practicing veterinary professionals, the program seeks to provide resources that will lead to inclusive work and learning places that are welcoming and supportive for professionals, students, and clients, by improving communication, leadership, teaching and learning, and cultural competency skills. The program is free to anyone at PVM. Please email hcvm@purdue.edu for assistance with registering or for questions about the program. Click here to visit the Human-Centered Veterinary Medicine website for a program overview and additional information.
Five veterinary students were available on April 5 to personally receive their certificates from Dean Reed:
Devon Anderson, DVM Class of 2025
Sarah Giglio, DVM Class of 2025
Carlee Roberts, DVM Class of 2025
Brooke Toriani, Veterinary Nursing Class of 2023
Morgan Watkins, DVM Class of 2025
Five additional DVM and Veterinary Nursing students who have completed the program are:
Monica Colon-Hernandez, DVM Class of 2022
Madison Kelly, Veterinary Nursing Class of 2023
Kelsey Floyd, Veterinary Nursing Class of 2023
Hannah Rowe, Veterinary Nursing Class of 2023
Kelsey Stoughton, Veterinary Nursing Class of 2023
Congratulations also are in order for the remaining students in the Veterinary Nursing Class of 2023 who will complete the certificate program by the end of the spring semester.
Congratulations to all of these students on their accomplishment!
Dr. Sulma Mohammed addresses guests at the 2022 Distinguished Women Scholars Award Reception where she was recognized as one of six honorees.
The Purdue University Office of the Provost and the Susan Bulkeley Butler Center for Leadership Excellence honored six Purdue alumnae, including Purdue Veterinary Medicine Professor of Cancer Biology Sulma Mohammed, as 2022 Distinguished Women Scholars at a special reception recently. The event on Tuesday, March 29, at the Purdue Memorial Union Anniversary Drawing Room, recognized the women for exceptional leadership and significant contribution to their fields. The six honorees earned graduate degrees from Purdue in the colleges of Agriculture, Engineering, Liberal Arts, Science, and Veterinary Medicine.
Dr. Sulma Mohammed is recognized as a 2022 Distinguished Women Scholar by Purdue Provost Jay Akridge and Dr. Mangala Subramanian, professor and Butler chair and director of the Susan Bulkeley Butler Center for Leadership Excellence.
At the standing room only reception, Purdue Provost Jay Akridge introduced each of the honorees who then had an opportunity to speak about their careers and areas of research. Dr. Mohammed earned her Purdue PhD in microbiology in 1991. In addition to her role as a faculty member in the College of Veterinary Medicine’s Department of Comparative Pathobiology, Dr. Mohammed is an adjunct professor of microbiology and immunology in the IU School of Medicine. Originally from Sudan, Dr. Mohammed earned her DVM degree in 1977 from Khartoum University and her master’s degree in 1982 from Cornell University.
Provost Akridge praised Dr. Mohammed for her achievements as a leading scientist in three areas of cancer research: mechanisms of cancer dissemination through the lymphatic system; breast cancer model development to study progression and discover strategies for prevention; and disparity in cancer risk and cancer research infrastructure in Africa. He also explained that Dr. Mohammed is a valued member of the Executive Council of the African Organization for Research and Training in Cancer (AORTIC) and has received national and international awards for her research efforts involving breast cancer pathogenesis, early diagnosis, and prevention.
Dr. Mohammed told the reception guests that she came to Purdue nearly 35 years ago with the intent of staying only three years to do her PhD. She recalled that earning her PhD made a big change in her life, and she expressed appreciation for the many professors who she worked with and who helped her to be who she is today. “All of these people shaped my life and my career to be who I am and encouraged me and empowered me to do whatever I wanted to do.” Explaining how she has focused her research on breast cancer, she described the importance of studying cancer health racial disparity. Her work targets aggressive triple-negative breast cancer that predominantly affects Black women. She said her Purdue PhD has enabled her to pursue this research, which she can take back to her home country as part of the effort to improve cancer detection and treatment.
Dr. Sulma Mohammed (second from right) and the other five Purdue alumnae named 2022 Distinguished Women Scholars are joined by Provost Jay Akridge at the award reception held March 29.
It may seem like a long and difficult path to get from Lynn Hall to a job that involves working with sea turtles, but for Purdue Veterinary Nursing alumna Katie D’Addato, RVT (PU AAS 2021), it was a path that she traversed relatively quickly. Katie shared her story virtually as a special guest speaker at a meeting of the Purdue University Veterinary Nursing Student Organization (VNSO) March 28. Hosted virtually over the Zoom platform, the meeting featured an informal discussion led by Katie, who shared about her educational background and experience working in one of the many career paths veterinary nursing students can take in their field.
During an internship at Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium in Sarasota, Florida, Purdue Veterinary Nursing alumna Katie D’Addato, RVT (PU AAS 2021) leads one of the aquarium’s permanent resident Loggerhead sea turtles through target training. (Photo provided)
Katie began her education at Purdue University double majoring in fisheries and aquatic sciences and wildlife, graduating with a bachelor’s degree from the College of Agriculture in 2019. She then came to the College of Veterinary Medicine where she graduated in August 2021 with an associate’s degree in veterinary nursing. Katie is now a credentialed veterinary nurse working at the North Carolina Aquarium on Roanoke Island (NCARI).
Katie brings together all of her educational background in her role as a sea turtle rehabilitation technician in the Sea Turtle Assistance and Rehabilitation (STAR) Center at the aquarium. The center serves as a hospital for sick and injured sea turtles in the Outer Banks region of North Carolina.
During her Zoom presentation for VNSO, Katie shared the typical tasks and daily operations that are part of her position, including dealing with many common conditions found in the sea turtles at NCARI, as well as some of the fun aspects of her job, like the release of 11 sea turtle patients back into the ocean last month – which was shared live on the aquarium’s Facebook page. Click here to view the video. Katie also shared her history of professional and volunteer experiences that have been beneficial in preparing her for her current position and some of the things students should expect if they plan to go into the same field.
Katie feeds a Loggerhead sea turtle patient admitted to the Sea Turtle Assistance and Rehabilitation (STAR) Center at the North Carolina Aquarium on Roanoke Island, where she currently works as a sea turtle rehabilitation technician. (Photo provided)
Katie encouraged the students by saying, “Make the most of your time and the opportunities you have to make yourself more well-rounded.” She also reminded the veterinary nursing students that, when applying for positions, their qualifications, connections, and experiences will all hold weight and help make them stand out as job candidates.
The Zoom session concluded with a Q&A session during which Katie shared more stories and details about her job. To leave VNSO members with some final advice, Katie recommended, “If there’s something that’s of interest to you, it may be a path that’s a little different, but you got this. You can do it.” Throughout her presentation, Katie reminded students of the importance of taking advantage of every opportunity they can.
Katie’s steps toward her dream job, including her time at Purdue and some of her unique internship opportunities, also were highlighted by the College of Agriculture in an alumna profile posted in July 2021. Click here to read that story.
Dr. James Kinnard (PU DVM ’71) takes a turn at the mic sharing with his fellow Golden Anniversary class members at a reunion dinner Friday, April 8.
Members of the DVM Class of 1970 pictured (left-right): Drs. Larry Leininger, John Schnarr, Mike Volpp, and Jim Schoon.
Members of Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine’s eighth and ninth classes to reach their Golden Anniversary, the DVM Classes of 1970 and 1971, received special recognition during a weekend of nostalgic events. The activities began with their arrival on the Purdue campus for the David and Bonnie Brunner Purdue Veterinary Medical Hospital Complex Dedication Ceremony on Friday, April 8.
Then, that evening, the class members gathered at Beck Agricultural Center in West Lafayette for their class reunion dinner. The event began with a reception and entertainment by Ba Na Na, a Purdue Musical Organizations performing ensemble. Following dinner, Dean Willie Reed presented class members with 50th anniversary medallions from the Purdue Veterinary Alumni Association, while Director of Alumni Relations Susan Xioufaridou read their names. Then, class members shared recollections of their days at Purdue and their life experiences that have transpired during the 50 years since they graduated.
Members of the DVM Class of 1971 in attendance at the Golden Anniversary celebration (back row, left-right): Drs. Terry Durkes, Jerry Allee, David Pence, and Steve Naile; (front row, left-right) Drs. Richard Sommers, Kent Wisecup, Philip Houser, Martin Stotelmyer, and James Kinnard.
On Saturday, April 9, in conjunction with Purdue’s Spring Fest, class members convened for breakfast at the Courtyard by Marriott in Lafayette to hear a presentation by Dean Willie Reed about the college’s master plan for the coming years, before boarding buses for a driving tour of campus, followed by an opportunity to visit the College of Veterinary Medicine Open House.
The class reunion program was organized in the spring because the annual Purdue Veterinary Conference in September, when reunions traditionally are held, had to be conducted virtually for the past two years due to the pandemic. Therefore, this special spring reunion program, held in conjunction with Spring Fest and the dedication of the new hospital facilities, provided a means to honor the classes that had yet to have an in-person reunion at the college.
View additional photos of the 1970 and 1971 Class Reunion Dinner taken by photographer Ed Lausch on lauschphotography.com. On the galleries page, select the “2022 Purdue Veterinary Medicine” gallery and to login, enter the password “2022PVM”.
Members of the inaugural Vet Up! College graduating class at Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine (PVM) don their new white coats alongside PVM teaching assistants, faculty, and staff, including Assistant Dean for Inclusive Excellence Latonia Craig (second row, far left) and Dean Willie Reed (second row, far right) at a special graduation ceremony in the PVM Medical Library in West Lafayette, Indiana on June 28, 2019.
Diversity Champions exemplify an unyielding commitment to diversity and inclusion throughout their campus communities, across academic programs, and at the highest administrative levels. INSIGHT Into Diversity selected institutions that rank in the top tier of Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award recipients.